Communities all over the world are facing the dramatic consequences of climate change, excessive use of natural resources, threats to biodiversity and increasing poverty. Our unsustainable consumption practices are at the heart of all of these problems. Sustainable procurement – spending public money responsibly on products and services that foster sustainable development – must therefore be a priority.

Sustainable procurement means thinking carefully about what you buy: buying only what you really need, purchasing products and services with high environmental performance, and considering the social and economic impacts of your procurement.

For example, public authorities in Europe spend €1.5 trillion a year on goods and services equivalent to 16% of EU GDP. From constructing energy efficient public buildings to buying low emission vehicles, from buying organic or Fair Trade food to installing water-saving toilets public procurement can have a huge impact in driving the market towards sustainability.